Search form

Search form

The number of ambulatory diabetes visits showed significant growth between 1997 and 2007, but exhibited a slight decline in 2012, a study in Diabetes Care indicated. Researchers also found fewer patients used sulfonylureas, while usage of glitazone-based drugs, biguanide and DPP-4 inhibitors increased.

Related Summaries

Type 2 diabetes patients treated with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors had significantly higher serum vitamin D levels than those who received other diabetes drugs, according to a study in Acta Diabetologica. The findings, based on 295 patients with type 2 diabetes, also showed that higher vitamin D levels were associated with stronger DPP-4 inhibition and the length of DPP-4 inhibitors treatment.

The odds of hospitalization for heart failure weren't significantly different between type 2 diabetes patients with baseline cardiovascular disease who were treated with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors and those treated with sulfonylureas, according to a study in Diabetes Care. Researchers used a cohort of 331,444 diabetes patients and found significantly lower odds of hospitalization for HF and secondary outcomes among patients without baseline CVD who were given DPP-4 inhibitors than those on sulfonylureas.

A study in The BMJ found that patients who take the anticoagulant warfarin plus sulfonylureas, used to treat diabetes, are 22% more likely to be hospitalized or visit an emergency department due to hypoglycemia. Findings were based on 466,000 Medicare patients. Warfarin strengthens the effects of sulfonylureas, potentially causing rapid drops in blood sugar, particularly among men ages 65 to 74. Patients taking both drugs should be monitored carefully and may need to check blood sugar more frequently, experts said.

The American Diabetes Association and drugmaker Eli Lilly have awarded two three-year grants for research on diabetes treatments in older adults. One grant will fund a study comparing the basal insulin glargine with the DPP-4 inhibitor linagliptin in long-term-care residents who have type 2 diabetes. The second grant will fund an investigation of lifestyle impacts on diabetes.

The number of ambulatory diabetes visits showed significant growth between 1997 and 2007 but exhibited a slight decline in 2012, a study in Diabetes Care indicated. Researchers also found fewer patients used sulfonylureas, while usage of glitazone-based drugs, biguanide and DPP-4 inhibitors increased.